National Youth Organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. George Opare Addo has said that the Electoral Commission should make provisions for all qualified citizens without a Ghana card to vote during the 2024 election.
In an interview with OilCity Radio in Kwesimintsim- Takoradi, Mr. Opare Addo mentioned that more than 50 percent of citizens do not have their Ghana cards hence excluding many eligible citizens from voting in the upcoming elections.
He stated that the Ghana card as the only required document for the registration of the 2024 election can be fully operationalised if every citizen possesses a card.
“The question I am asking is…. if the Ghana card is going to be used for the voter registration…will it disenfranchise some Ghanaians?…if yes then it is not a good policy …if no then it is a good policy. And mind you even if one Ghanaian is not given the right to vote then his/her rights have been trembled upon,” he added.
The EC presented a draft C. I to Parliament last month titled: Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2021, which is expected to regulate continuous voter registration.
According to the proposed C.I., which would become law after 21 days of the legislative session. The EC is attempting to make the Ghana Card the only form of identification required for eligible voters who wish to be added to the electoral roll.
The C.I has been referred to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament. By convention, the committee is chaired by a member of the Minority group.
Prior to becoming effective, orders, rules, or regulations adopted per the terms of a law passed by the legislature or a provision of the constitution must be brought before the legislature for 21 sitting days.
Any such subsidiary legislations so laid are referred to the committee to determine whether it is in accordance with the general objectives of the constitution or the Act pursuant to which it is being made.
Additionally, it determines whether the legislation involves any expenditures from the Consolidated Fund, gives retroactive effect to any provisions that are against the terms of the Constitution or an existing Act, directly or indirectly bars court jurisdiction, has a form or structure that requires further clarification or any other issue that the committee believes should be addressed in a Parliamentary Act.
